


Cloak & Dagger

by Ellka_Holim



Series: Cloak and Dagger [1]
Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Betrayal, Drama, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Multi, Other, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:36:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27199279
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellka_Holim/pseuds/Ellka_Holim
Summary: Papa Emeritus the Third has been replaced by the Church of Ghost's newest member, Cardinal Copia. With Morrigan having previously been Papa Emeritus III's assistant, she has now been promoted to being the Cardinal's. Although she is confident in assisting Cardinal Copia rise to fame and adoration, can she handle the shadows that loom behind them at every step?
Relationships: Cardinal Copia/Original Female Character(s), Cardinal Copia/Reader
Series: Cloak and Dagger [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1985647
Comments: 9
Kudos: 28





	1. Arrival

The Church was buzzing with excitement. News had spread like wildfire that a new arrival was coming to join the clergy. Bizarre and ridiculous rumours had begun to circulate amongst the siblings of sin, claiming that this new arrival was another Emeritus brother that had come out of the woodwork. It wasn't surprising that conspiracy theories were already circulating before the man had even taken a step on the grounds. 

Constellations silently danced and twinkled across the midnight sky, looking down at the commotion surrounding the ecstatic siblings of sin. Sisters adorned with figure-hugging habits were a common sight, yet somehow a few sisters managed to find even tighter tunics in an attempt to catch the eye of the newcomer. Brothers donned their freshly pressed suits, shining their black patent shoes until their reflections shone back at them. Higher ranked Brothers wore silver grucifix cufflinks for notorious events such as this, while initiates wore a smaller grucifix attached to a silver chain. 

A sea of red and black ebbed through the halls as priests, bishops, and siblings made their way to the cathedral, waiting eagerly in the shadows. Midnight mass wasn't for another half hour, but the clergy was equally impatient as they were excited. 

The night was calm yet held an uncertain electric snap, almost as if nature itself was waiting with bated breath. Hazel eyes peered through the window, staring at the tall iron-clad gates at the edge of the compound. Soon enough, the fate of the church would change. For better or worse, nobody had the answer for. 

The same hazel eyes found themselves in front of the floor-length mirror. Dark hair with streaks of grey framed the pale face before it, falling midway down the figures back. She gently brushed it once more, setting it into place with a silver hairpin, rendering it almost invisible. Stepping back from the mirror, she slipped into a pair of black patent kitten heels. They didn't give her extra considerable height, but they accented the formal outfit nicely. Smoothing down their vestments once more, she adorned herself with a large grucifix around the neck. 

Satisfied with her outfit, she blew out the candle sitting on the bedside table before taking her leave. As she locked the door, a familiar voice boomed across the halls. 

"Morrigan, cara mia!" The voice roared, happily.

Turning, Morrigan was met with the sight of the current reigning Papa. He was dressed in his papal robes, the mitre sitting perfectly on his head so as not to smudge his skull paint. 

"Good evening, Terzo. Are you ready for tonight's sermon?" she asked, bowing slightly as he closed the distance.

"Ah cara, it's always so strange when you use formalities with me," Terzo said before wrapping his arms around Morrigan's shoulders.

"If I don't, Imperator will have my head." Morrigan countered, refusing to return the gesture.

"Those rules are for during work hours. Are you working right now, cara?" Terzo replied, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Morrigan sighed at Terzo's wordsmithing. "Not until I reach the cathedral, so technically I'm off duty."

Terzo was about to respond until Morrigan held up her finger to his lips, cutting him off. "I know what you're about to say, and while I agree with you, I have to use formalities with you when members of the clergy are present."

Gently, he takes hold of her wrist and pulls it down slightly. "Just give me a damn hug, it's my last sermon as Papa Emeritus the Third." 

Smirking at his impatience, she wrapped her arms around his torso. Terzo pulled her in tight, which wasn't anything new, however this time Morrigan caught a sense of trepidation. No one could blame Terzo from feeling anxious about performing his last sermon. Being extremely popular primarily with the sisters of sin, it became a common topic amongst his conversations with Morrigan about whether he will lose his admirers to the newcomer. Despite Morrigan's consistent reassurances, Terzo's ego couldn't help but feel a little bruised.

Lifting her arm to check her watch, Morrigan sighed. "We have 15 minutes to get down to the church and if I don't get you down there quick enough, I’ll get an earful from Imperator."

Pulling away, a remorseful yet doting smile played across Terzo's face. "We both know that won't happen, cara mia. Imperator has a soft spot for you, whether she admits that or not."

"That's a very strict soft spot." Morrigan huffed.

Chuckling quietly to himself, Terzo lifted his arm, "Shall we?" He asked, gazing into Morrigan's eyes. She noticed in his eyes that it was as though he was searching for something. She didn't have enough time to think about it but made a mental note.

Morrigan placed her hand around his arm, "After you." As they walked, Morrigan gripped onto Terzo's robe tighter than she realised. In the 20 years she had been here, she had been trained to wear a tough exterior. Imperator made sure of that. However tonight, the excitement coursing through the air seems to have gotten to her. Whether she wanted to figure out why she was anxious or not, now wasn't the time. She had to focus on tonight's sermon.

-

The dark mahogany church doors loomed over Morrigan and Terzo as they pushed their way through to the chancel. Ushering him into the vestry, Morrigan turned to see Imperator strutting over to her. 

"Good, you're here. I presume Terzo has gone inside to prepare for tonight's sermon?" 

"Yes, Sister Imperator," Morrigan stated matter of factly.

"All is going according to plan, excellent. Papa Nihil will be opening the ceremony tonight, followed by Papa Emeritus III. Terzo will introduce our newest addition to the church and once the ceremony is over, I will introduce you to your new superior."

Morrigan was taken aback. "Pardon me, Sister Imperator. Did you say, 'new superior?'"

"Oh, don't act so surprised, Morrigan. There is no use for you as Terzo's assistant now that he will be stepping down. There are much better opportunities for you to have with our newest addition to the church." Imperator puffed her chest, ending the conversation as she turned to the chancel, double-checking everything was in place.

Morrigan stood by the vestry door, shocked. She barely had enough time to register the sinking feeling in her chest when Imperator ushered her over to the front pew reserved for higher members of the clergy. She sat in her assigned seat, gazing at the altar. 

"Did Terzo know?" Morrigan thought. Perhaps that explains for his unusual embrace earlier. Soon enough, familiar faces from the clergy started filling the front pews. Cardinals, bishops and their assistants followed behind them as the crowd grew larger by the minute. Every member of the church must have been here, it had been so long since Morrigan had seen it at this capacity.

Mere moments after Imperator sat down next to Morrigan, the church organ began to play Deus Culpa. The sound of shuffling feet filled the space as people stood, waiting for Papa Nihil to stand at the altar. Soon the tell-tale scent of frankincense and myrrh wafted around the room, a scent Morrigan was all too familiar with. 

Papa Nihil made his way behind the altar adorned with rose petals and candles, the wax melting down the sides giving it the appearance of a giant waxen hell beast. Papa Nihil was soon followed by his three sons, Papa Emeritus I, II, and III. Each of them held a religious object. Papa Emeritus I held a golden chalice adorned with red glittering gems. Papa Emeritus II proudly held a grucifix staff, recently polished going off its impressive shine reflecting around him. Lastly, Papa Emeritus III held the thurible, delicate plumes of incense smoke filtered its way through the interlaced designs crafted around its top. 

With Deus Culpa coming to an end, Papa Nihil raised his hands as a gesture of welcome.

“Siblings of Sin, it is my pleasure to be opening this sermon tonight as it is one that holds tremendous excitement for our congregation. Tonight is a time to reflect the cycle of life.” With that, Papa Nihil turned to the impressively large stained-glass window behind him, depicting Lucifer in all his hellish glory. As he bowed, so did his sons, followed by the congregation. 

Turning to his sons, Papa Emeritus I presents his father with the golden chalice. Bowing, Papa Nihil takes the chalice and places it on the altar before him. Papa Emeritus I takes his seat on the side of the chancel as his younger brother, Papa Emeritus II, presents his father with the grucifix staff. They proceed to bow to one another, Nihil placing the staff in front of the stained-glass and blessing it. 

Before Papa Emeritus II takes his seat, he throws a snide glance towards his brother, Papa Emeritus III. Nihil then turns to Terzo, taking the thurible from him before walking around the altar to bless it. 

Morrigan couldn’t help but notice Secondo’s remark towards Terzo. She made a quick prayer to Lucifer that this sermon would go well without them tearing at each other’s throat. 

Nihil placed the thurible in front of the altar, allowing the remaining incense smoke to filter and die out. 

Returning to the altar, Nihil continued. 

“Tonight, we celebrate the cycle of life and death. When we are born, we are given a blank slate. As time passes, we are presented with situations that test our mettle. We fall, rise, then fall some more. However, my dear children, it is how we deal with these situations that are most important. As we continue in what little time we have on this earth, the life lessons we learn are what we pass down to the next generation, but not just to lecture. To guide them on how to lead their lives better than our own.”

Papa Nihil, as always, was a man who loved the sound of his own voice; especially when it came to opening sermons. While he made some good points now and then, he was starting to lose the crowd’s interest. However, a quick cough from Imperator nudged him on to finish his piece.

“Now, my dear children, I must leave you. Join us, Papa Emeritus III, may we receive your rites and blessings on this infernal night.”

The clergy applauded as Nihil left the altar, welcoming Terzo to take his place. Morrigan felt as though the clergy were clapping more for the fact that Nihil had finally finished rather than for Terzo.

Raising his hands, Terzo spoke.

“Brothers and Sisters of Sin, I welcome you all on this wonderfully infernal night for tonight is my last sermon. I cannot begin to describe to you all how incredibly grateful I am for being blessed to bring you all on this sinful journey with me.”

As Terzo spoke, he lamented on his departure as Papa. As he delivered his speech, the sound of sniffles echoed around the church as many sisters cried silently into their black embroidered handkerchiefs. Morrigan, still reeling from the news Imperator threw at her, couldn’t help but feel the weight of the crowd’s sadness on her shoulders. It felt very bittersweet. On one hand, she didn’t want to leave Terzo, but on the other, she could see the freedom she was looking for at the edge of her fingertips. 

Old memories began clawing their way to the forefront of her mind, threatening to spill down her cheeks. Taking a deep and steady breath, she regained her focus just at the end of Terzo’s speech.

“…and now, my friends, before I bid you adieu, I must first welcome our new cardinal to our church.” Terzo extended his hand out in front of him, gesturing towards the nave. The church organ began to play a soft yet haunting melody as the mahogany doors opened. Due to Nihil’s persistence in wanting a dark atmosphere during mass, it was difficult to see the cardinal unless he was right in front of you. 

Morrigan tried craning her neck over the crowd but found it a fruitless task. Instead, she cast her eyes upon Terzo. Something in his expression made the hairs on her neck stand up, although she couldn’t put her finger on why. Moments later, a figure draped in red walked past her toward the altar. His back facing her, she could see his finely pressed cassock flowing around him as he walked on, his matching red biretta gracefully perched atop his head. It wasn’t until he stood next to Terzo when Morrigan figured out why he looked so disturbed. 

The Cardinal had a white eye too.


	2. The New Superior

Voices echoed off the old chipped brick walls of the church as the clergy filtered their way through the large mahogany doors. Excitement fluttered through the air as the siblings discussed amongst themselves the new arrival. The cardinal had a couple of fans already, pushing Morrigan’s buttons as she stood at the top of the chancel, blocking them from meeting him.

“Yes, I know girls, but you will have to wait to book an appointment with the Cardinal,” Morrigan stated flatly.

“Just for a few minutes? All we want to do is say hello!” A young sister pleaded in a poor attempt to win Morrigan’s pity. It did not work.

“No. Book an appointment, just like you need to book an appointment with the rest of the higher members of the clergy,” Morrigan said sternly, crossing her arms for punctuation.

“Ugh, killjoy. Fine!” The young sister barked, turning away in a huff with the rest of her friends.

Morrigan pinched the bridge of her nose, counting back from 10 to regain some form of patience. It wasn’t the excited siblings that annoyed her, she could handle them, but rather the fact that she had been on edge since Imperator’s news coming out of left field. She wasn’t prepared for this.

“Morrigan, a word please.” Sister Imperator said as she stood in front of the altar.

Checking that the rest of the siblings have left the church, she turned to face Imperator and the Cardinal. He wore a red cassock, adorned with a silk fascia with a grucifix sewn into the bottom section. A red biretta sat perched atop his head, not a mousey blonde hair out of place. What struck her was his face paint; two black circles around his eyes, almost giving him the appearance of one that never sleeps.

As Morrigan approached, his white eye never left her.

“Yes, Sister Imperator,” Morrigan said, her hands behind her back.

“Thank you for keeping the siblings at bay back there. We don’t want what happened last time when Terzo was declared Papa.” Imperator said, chuckling lightly to herself.

“No, Sister. It would not be the most pleasant of welcomes.”

“Quite right,” Imperator said, turning to the Cardinal. “Cardinal, may I introduce you to your new assistant, Morrigan Ward. She will not only help you settle into your new home, but also assist you with any tasks you require of her.”

The Cardinal turned to Morrigan, bowing gently towards her. “Hello Morrigan, it is a pleasure to become acquainted with you.”

Morrigan couldn’t help but look into his white eye. How on earth did he get that? Quickly snapping out of it, she gently bowed in return.

“The pleasure is mine, Cardinal…?”

“Ah, pardon. Cardinal Copia.” He said, ending the sentence with a small smile.

Nodding, Morrigan turned to Imperator. “Shall I escort Cardinal Copia to his room?”

“Yes, that would be sufficient,” Imperator turned to Copia. “We shall discuss what is required of you in the coming days. First, we would like for you to settle in, become acquainted with your new home and introduce yourself to the clergy.”

“Thank you, Sister Imperator. We shall reconvene later.” Copia said, bowing his head to Imperator.

Imperator nodded, pleased with the introductions before she made her way to the vestry. Opening the door, she shut it with a loud boom, echoing around the now-empty church.

Copia turned to face Morrigan. “After you, Morrigan.”

Walking down the aisle, Morrigan was silently mulling things over in her head. Imperator was oddly friendly to this new Cardinal Copia. Although Imperator has known the papal bloodline since it started with Primo, and had grown increasingly stricter with them as time went on, maybe it was since Copia bore no familial ties to them that she was more courteous?

Pulling the dark mahogany door toward her, she stepped to the side allowing Copia to leave first. He remained silent as he walked past her and out toward the cloister. She closed the door behind them, setting the deadlock before turning to see Copia gazing out of the cloister and toward the stars.

Morrigan had no idea what to take from Copia, other than that he was quiet. It would be a change from Terzo, that’s for certain.

“Are you ready, Cardinal?” Morrigan asked.

He quietly nodded, his face remaining stoic. It almost pissed her off, there was nothing she could discern from him.

“This way.” Morrigan breathed, snapping out of her reverie.

Leaving the cloister, they travelled in silence through the empty hallways of the complex. Most of the siblings had gone to their dormitories, leaving the odd clergyman walking down the hall buried in a book or reciting a prayer to the dark lord below. Some had broken the tense silence between Morrigan and Copia, extending their greetings as they passed.

Ascending a few flights of old flagstone stairs, they had reached the top floor of the west wing where the Papal bloodline resides. The floor was adorned with black and white tiling, making it look as though they were navigating a chess board. Off-white walls surrounded them, oil paintings depicting previous Papa’s, hanging from the ceiling. Normally, Morrigan paid no heed to these paintings having passed them for years now, but tonight she felt as though she was being viewed under a magnifying glass.

“What time do you wish to start tomorrow, Cardinal?” Morrigan asked, breaking the silence.

Cardinal Copia tapped his chin in thought before answering. “I usually rise at around 7:30 am. How does 8 am sound for you?”

“Very well. We can start the day with a tour of the grounds if that suits you.” She breathed. She hated this tension.

“I would greatly appreciate that Morrigan, thank you,” Copia said, tipping his biretta toward her.

Morrigan turned to face away from him once more before taking the steel ornate key out of her pocket. She stood in front of a large arched door frame; a golden nameplate drilled into the wood. It read “Cardinal Copia.”

Unlocking the door, she flicked the light switch on, sending the room into a warm glow from the tungsten bulb. Stepping inside, she placed her hands behind her back once more before speaking.

“This will be your place of residence, Cardinal. I hope it is satisfactory for your needs.”

Cardinal Copia stepped in, taking the room into account. It was rather large, empty bookcases lined the walls on the left and right, a large oak table sat toward the back of the room accompanied by a high-backed leather chair. Behind the desk, a large arched window loomed over it, providing a view of the garden on the ground floor.

Morrigan noticed he bore a confused look on his face. “Is everything alright, Cardinal?”

He held his finger to his chin once more, looking around. “Where, may I ask, is the bed? While the desk is large enough to lie across, I don’t think it will provide the best back support.”

Nodding, Morrigan spoke as she walked across the carpeted floor towards the desk, pointing beside it. “In here is your bedroom, provided with an en-suite. It is not customary for assistants to have access to the clergy’s private quarters.”

Copia followed, noticing the cleverly hidden door in the corner of the room. “Apologies, Morrigan. It has been a long day and my eyes aren’t as sharp this late at night.”

“No apologies needed,” Morrigan stated as she watched Copia turn the handle leading into his bedroom. From where she stood at the desk, it seemed to be well furnished. Copia disappeared for a few minutes, inspecting the room, leaving Morrigan to her thoughts.

She whittled her annoyance down to sudden stress. She had both been let go from being Terzo’s assistant whilst equally having been given the position of assistant to Copia. She would have preferred to have had enough time to make the transition over, but she’ll take what she can get for now. She made a mental note to have a word with Terzo during the week; the sooner the better.

Cardinal Copia came back to the door, seeing Morrigan leaning against the desk, her gaze cast down to the floor deep in thought. He noted she looked displeased, but about what he did not know. However, with her being his new assistant, he did have to take her health into consideration.

“Everything alright, Morrigan?” Copia gently asked, reluctantly breaking her out of her quiet reveries. He noticed the immediate change in body language, her once relaxed demeanour now completely replaced by a hard stance, her hands behind her back.

“Pardon me, I was simply in a world of my own.” Morrigan stated flatly.

Copia, even though he was curious, knew when not to pry. “The bedroom is cosy; I look forward to sleeping here tonight. Thank you, Morrigan.” He ended with a smile before checking his watch. “It is late, we are both tired and I think it would be best that we leave formalities here for tonight.”

Nodding, Morrigan made her way to the arched door. “If you need anything, my contact details are on that card on the desk. I’ll see you in the morning, Cardinal. Goodnight.”

“Ah, thank you. Goodnight, Morrigan.” Copia nodded to her, watching her leave through the door leaving him to his own company. He picked up the card that lay on his desk, glancing over the details written across it. Tucking it into his pants pocket, he retired into his bedroom.

Morrigan walked in a trance down the hallway, thinking over everything. She hadn’t realised how deep into her thoughts she was until Terzo waved his hand in front of her eyes.

“Hello? Cara?” Terzo asked, his voice coated with worry.

Morrigan jumped, snapping out of her thoughts. “Terzo! Sorry, I was lost in thought. Is everything alright?”

“You don’t say. You look pale, well, paler than usual. I couldn’t help but notice how shocked you were in tonight’s sermon. I wanted to check on you.” He asked, resting the back of his hand on her forehead to check her temperature.

In normal circumstances, she would have swatted his hand away, but she was too tired to do so now.

“Terzo, did you know?” Morrigan asked, her voice weak.

Terzo looked at her, a sad look in his eyes. “I cannot lie to you, cara. I’m sorry.”

Morrigan’s annoyance was bubbling to the surface as she pushed his hands away. “And you didn’t think to tell me?”

“I thought Imperator had told you, cara! Aren’t you two always involved with discussions regarding the inner works of the church?”

“Not like I thought, not anymore.” Morrigan huffed, looking angrily at the paintings.

“Perhaps she thought I’d tell you? Not that it matters now, I’m sorry you found out last minute, cara mia. Please, this wasn’t on purpose.” Terzo pleaded, his hands clasped together.

“Alright alright, this doesn’t mean that I’m not incredibly annoyed though.” Morrigan sighed, frustrated.

“I know, cara. You have every right to be.” Terzo breathed, fidgeting with his shirt.

“So, what does this mean for us, Terzo?” Morrigan asked.

“Well, you _are_ Copia’s assistant now, but you are still tied to me for a short while.” Terzo said, putting his hand in his trouser pocket.

“What? Terzo, don’t make me pull it out of you.” Morrigan said, folding her arms across her chest.

“What I mean is that you still have to help me in showing Copia the ropes. Help break him in, so to say,” Terzo sighed, continuing, “While you’re going to be his assistant now, I would still like to see you, cara mia.”

Morrigan’s shoulders slumped, her aggression softening at his words. “I know, Terzo, and so do I. I don’t know what kind of schedule the Cardinal is going to put me through, but I would like to see you too. I’ve been your assistant for a couple of years, but a friend for many more.”

“I’m glad, cara. Truly.” Terzo yawned, checking his watch. “I think it is time I retire. Would you like me to walk you to your room?”

“I’d like that.” Morrigan smiled, linking her arm in his as they walked down the hall, passing grimacing faces hanging on the wall. They didn’t seem so menacing now.

Descending a flight of stairs, they both ambled towards Morrigan’s room. Fishing the key out from her pocket, she pushed it into the lock. The door squeaked open, causing them both to grimace at the sound.

“I should get that oiled.” Morrigan said.

“Worry about that later, cara mia. Get some rest, va bene?” Terzo yawned once more, causing Morrigan to yawn with him.

“Sì, Papa.” Morrigan breathed, turning to step into the threshold of comfort. Before she could do so, Terzo pulled her in for one last hug. Not caring whether other members of the clergy were around, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in tight. While Morrigan and Terzo held each other, Morrigan felt her confidence boost once more. They didn’t always have the best friendship, but she was grateful she could rely on him now.

Letting go, Terzo took a step back and bowed to Morrigan. “Goodnight, cara mia. We shall talk again soon.”

“Goodnight, Terzo. Sleep well.” Morrigan smiled, waving him off as she shut the door behind her.

Locking the door, she quickly slipped out of her clothes and jumped into bed, letting the blankets consume her worries as she drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I hope you enjoyed chapter 2! 
> 
> It's equally exciting and terrifying to write and publish fanfiction, I'm not going to lie XD However, with that said, I'm genuinely looking forward to seeing where this fanfic will go! I have some general plots I'm heading for which I'm really eager to get typed out! 
> 
> In the meantime, I hope all of you are doing well! Thank you for reading! xx


	3. Sightseeing with Cardinal Copia - Part I

The morning light filtered through the greying clouds, lightly dancing across Morrigan’s sleeping form. It was a cold autumnal day, but melancholic weather didn’t dampen the spirits residing in the ministry. Many a sibling would be seen dancing through the puddles of water collecting throughout the valleys of inclines of the cobblestone paths, umbrella’s swinging in excitement.

A soft robotic beeping had taken Morrigan out of her dreamless sleep, her hand limply hitting the snooze button. Sitting up, she sighed as she checked the time; 7:00 am. Folding the duvet away, the cold air hit her skin causing horripilation. Shuddering, she stood on the cold wooden floor, forcing herself through the fog of drowsiness as she made her way to the bathroom.

Clicking on the built-in mirror-light, she was met with a familiar sight of her ever-tempestuous hair. Splashing cold water onto her face, she soon brightened up, her eyes open and awake. Brushing her hair into a relaxed ponytail, she fastened it with a silver barrette.

She donned her usual work attire of a fitted black shirt, pants, and black patented kitten heels. Fastening a black-tie, she clipped it onto the third button of her dress shirt. Standing in front of the mirror, she did a once over to make sure everything was in place. Glancing to the side of the mirror, she saw her grucifix necklace pooled atop of last night’s vestments. She sighed as she picked it up, dusting it off before securing it around her neck.

Checking the clock, the time read 7:10 am.

“The Cardinal will be up soon,” Morrigan thought. “I still have time to get myself some breakfast.”

Grabbing the rest of her things, slipping her notepad, pen, and phone into her belt bag, she left and locked her room before making a beeline for the kitchens.

The hallways were still relatively empty, save for a few bishops walking into various rooms carrying stacks of books to transcribe, making the trip to the kitchens painless. There was nothing worse than arriving in the kitchens looking forward to your favourite lunch special only to realise you were too late, Morrigan mused.

Perusing through the hot counter, she picked up a toasted sandwich, her stomach grumbling at the sight. Sitting down, she glanced out the window as she ate, staring at the intermittent clouds gracefully gliding by. The sound of pots and pans being prepped on the stovetops gave Morrigan a mood boost, especially hearing the kettle coming to a boil. The bubbling reminding her of cosy nights in with her friends. She hadn’t seen her friends in over a month, so it wasn’t a surprise to know she missed them dearly, although she had grown increasingly curious about their whereabouts.

As time passed, a couple more siblings of sin were starting to filter into the kitchens, a gentle chatter resounding around the room. Morrigan, finishing her sandwich, checked her watch. 7:35 am. Returning her plates to the counter, she was captured by the smell of freshly made coffee.

“I should bring the Cardinal a cup of coffee. Let’s hope he isn’t too picky.” Morrigan thought.

Leaving the kitchens, a coffee in each hand, she began to make her way back up to Cardinal Copia’s room.

-

Walking up the last step, Morrigan was again met with the ancient oil paintings of Papa’s long gone. Some of the older paintings depicted the Papa’s without their signature skull paint, showing vacant, bored or stoic expressions in their stead. The farther down the bloodline, the trend of wearing face paint soon began to rise.

The sound of a door unlocking then closing brought Morrigan’s attention to Papa Emeritus II’s room. Secondo stood, fidgeting with the key.

“Cursed door…” he mumbled. Upon hearing the satisfying clunk of the lock’s mechanism, he turned to see Morrigan standing nearby.

“Good morning, Papa.” Morrigan bowed slightly, making sure not to spill the coffee.

“Good morning, Morrigan. I see you are keeping well.” Secondo said.

“I am, thank you.”

“I don’t suppose that coffee is for me, cara?” Secondo asked.

“You don’t even drink coffee,” Morrigan smirked.

Secondo eyed Morrigan with slight annoyance at her attention to detail. “Nothing gets past you does it.”

“It was you that taught me to pay attention to little details.” Morrigan quipped, a smile threatening to break out.

“Am I getting this right Morrigan, that you are putting the blame on me?” Secondo said, walking over to Morrigan. He towered over her, his mitre giving him extra height.

“100%.” Morrigan chuckled, causing Secondo to start laughing as well.

“Alright, alright. Getting back to business, cara, what is that Cardinal like?” Secondo whispered, motioning with his eyes towards Copia’s door.

Morrigan’s shoulders drooped slightly. “I don’t know enough to make a proper judgement on him yet, Secondo. I can tell you that he’s very reserved, but that’s about it.”

Secondo noticed the change in Morrigan’s body language and pressed on. “You do not like him, Morrigan?”

“My mood has nothing to do with liking the Cardinal, more so the fact that this was sprung on me last minute.”

“Ah yes,” Secondo sighed. “It is known that you hate being unprepared for events such as these.”

“More than that. Terzo and Imperator knew but had failed to mention it to me. I feel like a marionette being passed to the next person to play with.” Morrigan said under her breath.

“I’m not surprised that Terzo failed to mention it to you. He’s usually kept busy with his favourites.”

“I don’t want to know, Papa,” Morrigan interjected quickly. The sex life of Terzo is something Morrigan did not want to imagine this early in the morning.

Checking his watch, Secondo asked, “What time do you need to meet with the Cardinal?”

“8 am. I’m bringing him coffee as a buffer for awkward silences.”

“Well you had better go; it’s 7:55 am.” He said, glancing down the hallway.

“Thank you, Secondo.” Morrigan smiled.

“We shall meet again soon, cara.” Secondo said, gently patting her shoulder before he left to descend the flagstone stairs.

Morrigan made her way to Cardinal Copia’s door, knocking gently. The sound of shuffling papers and feet resounded through the door before opening to reveal a tall, burly looking ghoul. He wore a silver horned mask with a section cut out from the mouthpiece, followed by an all-black outfit like Morrigan’s, save for a few extra details. Looming in the door frame, Morrigan broke the silence thickening between them.

“Good morning, I’m here to attend to Cardinal Copia,” Morrigan stated.

Before the ghoul had been given the chance to respond, the familiar sound of Copia’s voice shouted from the back of the room.

“Ah, Morrigan! You have met my ghoul, Aether,” Copia shouted, quickly making his way to the door. “Aether, this is Morrigan, my new assistant. Let her in.”

Aether had stepped to the side, holding the door as Morrigan stepped beyond the threshold.

“Good Morning, Cardinal. I trust your sleep was satisfactory?”

“Oh yes, I slept like the dead.” Copia quipped.

Nodding, Morrigan continued. “I was in the kitchens earlier and brought you a coffee to start the day,” handing it to Copia, she pressed on. “I don’t know how you take it; however, I’ve brought packets of sugar and a small pot of milk.”

Copia brought the coffee to his face, inhaling the scent of caramel. “This smells delicious, thank you Morrigan. Please, sit.” He motioned to the chair in front of his desk as he took his leather seat.

Morrigan had only now noticed the current state of the room. Boxes had lined the floor, stacks of books lay neatly across the plush couch, amongst many other ornaments. She noticed he had a penchant for ancient tomes and ornate décor.

Sitting down across from Copia, she reached into her belt bag and produced the sugar packets and milk pot onto his desk.

“Excuse the mess. I am having my ghouls bring my belongings up from storage.” Copia said, gazing around the room. “I didn’t realise the amount of space my books had taken up in my previous workplace.”

Aether was silently lining the bookcases with various books, some as old and tattered, others in pristine condition. Another knock rapped on the door, causing Aether to stop in his task. Opening the door, a slightly smaller ghoul with the same face mask stood at the door, carrying a multitude of boxes in front of him. Placing the boxes next to the steadily growing pile by Aether, the smaller ghoul took off down the hallway again.

“If you need any assistance in organising your belongings, I am more than happy to help,” Morrigan said, sipping her coffee.

“No, today is a day of exploration. I have my ghouls tasked with housekeeping today. I’m more curious to see the layout of this complex.” Copia nodded, stirring the milk in his cup.

“I will warn you, Cardinal, this place is bigger than it looks. If the tour proves too tiresome to finish today, we can organise the remainder for another.” Morrigan said, absentmindedly twirling the cup in her hand.

“You won’t need to worry about that.” Copia breathed, raising the cup to his mouth before speaking, “However, I will ask. Where is the library?”

Morrigan forced herself to stifle a sarcastic laugh. He didn’t need to travel far to find a library, considering the collection he has.

“Across the gardens below us. It won’t take longer than five minutes. Would you like to stop there first?”

“Most certainly.” He beamed.

-

Cardinal Copia and Morrigan, after finishing their coffees, had soon made their way down to the gardens. What was once a beautiful array of colourful flowers now lay a decaying collection of weeds.

“Had you arrived here sooner; you would have seen Mother Superior’s herb garden. They’ve been harvested for the winter. She likes to add rosemary to her tea.” Morrigan said, looking down at the barren flowerbeds.

“I can imagine this place being alive with colour. Does Mother Superior plant any perennials?” Copia asked.

“She used to, but due to her arthritis, she cannot tend to her garden as well as she’d like to. I try to help out, but I’m not particularly skilled in this area of expertise.” Morrigan sighed.

Humming, Copia continued through the garden with Morrigan. The familiar wooden library door soon peered around the corner at them, slightly ajar. Pushing it gently, Morrigan guided Copia inside. It was well lit, a mixture of old-fashioned candelabras sitting on countertops and tungsten lights hung from the ceiling, giving the room a warm and inviting atmosphere. The library was massive, and one could get easily lost in the aisles if you weren’t careful.

Morrigan was about to say something when she noticed Copia gazing starstruck at the floor to ceiling bookcases.

“Where are the Latin books, pray tell?” Copia whispered, not taking his eyes off the books in fear they may disappear. He had never seen a collection so large before.

“Follow me. This place can be very confusing on your first few visits.” She whispered, leading him down the dusty aisles toward the back.

Turning a series of lefts and rights, they soon found themselves in front of a caged section of the library.

Turning, her back facing the cage, Morrigan continued.

“There are two sections for Latin books. The one behind me are books that have yet to be translated or may be too damaged to remove from the library. You will also need a key from the librarian to access them.” She whispered, careful not to disturb the monks close by.

“These shelves, however, are Latin books that have already been translated and are free to be borrowed. We have a steadily growing collection of these books that arrive at the end of every month, so should you take on the responsibilities of translation, you’ll be kept busy.”

Copia, taking a few steps forward, took one of the iron bars into his gloved hand. He inspected the spines of the books, some faded from sunlight, others torn from misuse. Excitement coursed through him at the thought of reading what was on those ancient pages. Turning to Morrigan, he noticed her looking at them, her eyes flitting to and froe. When she wasn’t so stoic, he noted she had a longing look in her eyes.

Clearing his throat, he turned around once more, quickly taking in his surroundings.

“Tell me, Cardinal, would you know how to get to the exit from here?” Morrigan smirked.

Looking around, gazing up at the ceiling to ground himself, he soon gave up. “No, I’m afraid not.”

Morrigan chuckled quietly, “C’mon, I’ll show you the way.”

Eventually finding the exit, they stood at the threshold of the gardens once more. Before she could continue with her tour, she stopped to think.

“Are there any other specific places you want to see, Cardinal?” She asked, her finger resting on her chin as she held her waist.

“I’ll the rest of this tour in your capable hands.” He said, a small smile tugging at his lips.

The morning was spent wading through the seemingly never-ending crowd of siblings, most passing on their welcome with a few others trying their best to catch more than his attention. Copia somehow managed to keep his attitude upbeat and polite, but Morrigan could sense a twinge of exasperation.

“How many more siblings should I expect today, Morrigan?” Copia asked once they got a moment of quiet.

“Considering it is midday, you’re lucky it’s not lunchtime,” Morrigan said, checking her watch.

“I’m afraid to ask, but why?”

“That’s when school is finished for the day,” Morrigan said, turning to meet Copia’s vaguely worried expression.

“Dolce Lucifero…” Copia breathed.

“We can take a break if you like?”

“Briefly, please. I don’t know how many more hands I can shake at this moment.” Copia sighed.

Morrigan led him through a series of corridors, some wide to fit an arctic truck and some requiring single file. Pushing through, they had found themselves on a quieter side of the complex. Wild uncut grass sprouted all around them with dainty wild flora randomly dotted beneath them. Morrigan led him through a thicket of trees, careful not to snap twigs back into his face.

“Can I ask where we’re going?” Copia asked, pushing his gloved hands through the leaves.

“Somewhere that no one will bother you.” Morrigan huffed excitedly.

Soon, they had happened upon an old, overgrown graveyard. Vines hugged the rusted iron gates that surrounded the site as though they were holding onto their loved ones for one final time. The gate was open, indicating that someone was here.

“Watch your step, the grass has grown quite tall and it can be hard to see the flagstones.” Morrigan breathed, taking careful strides through the underbrush.

They walked through the graveyard in silence, Copia glancing at the various headstones; some ornate and some incredibly plain. Reaching the middle of the site, Copia was faced with a large stone fountain, dried leaves coating the inside like a prickly woollen scarf. Horse chestnuts lined the ground, the odd pinecone splayed open to spread its seeds, ready to start the cycle anew.

Looking around, his eyes fell on Morrigan sat peacefully on the fountain’s edge. The sound of her hand brushing through the leaves permeated the air.

“This place is beautiful.” He sighed, lazily walking toward her as he gazed around at the remaining crumbling stone crypts.

“Isn’t it? It’s one of my favourite places to go to get some peace and quiet.” She said, daydreaming.

“You come out here often?” Copia asked, standing in front of her.

“More than you know.” She sighed, crunching a stray leaf in her hand.

“It’s very quiet. One could do a lot of thinking out here.” He said as he sat opposite her.

“One thing I love about this graveyard is that even if there are other people around, nobody comes to bother you. People are just trying their best to silently grieve their loved ones. However, it is nice to have a chat with some of the older folk that find themselves here.”

Looking over his shoulders, Copia points to himself. “Are you talking about me?”

Morrigan laughed, surprised by his outburst. It was a sound Copia wanted to hear more of.

“If we want to get technical, you’re very young in comparison to the rest of the people here.”

“I’ll take it.” Copia happily laughed.

The two of them sat there for a moment, admiring the silence. The only sounds were the winds filtering through the trees. Closing his eyes, Copia breathed deeply, gathering strength for the rest of the tour.

After a moment, he stands turning to Morrigan. “Shall we continue your grand tour?”

“Sounds like a plan.” She smiled as Copia offered his hand. Taking it, she stood before making their way out of the overgrown graveyard once more.

-

The afternoon had passed with Morrigan detailing all the shortcuts she could think of to Copia, helping him cut down his time for when he needs to travel the ministry to attend meetings. He managed to remember most of them, making mental notes along the way. It would take time remembering what hallway lead to where, but he didn’t mind exploring if he got lost.

Turning a corner, Terzo bumped into Morrigan almost knocking her over.

“Mia stella, mi dispiace! I wasn’t looking where I was going.” He started.

“It’s alright, Papa. No harm no foul.”

Terzo raised his arms to Copia, “Ah, Cardinal! How are you doing today? We haven’t had much of a chance to talk yet.”

Cardinal Copia respectfully bowed to Terzo. “Good afternoon, Papa. I’m being well cared for in the presence of Morrigan here.”

“I’m giving the Cardinal a tour of the grounds, Papa. Would you like to join us?” Morrigan asked, hands behind her back as she spoke. Copia had noted the slight tension in Morrigan’s body language but couldn’t place his finger on why.

“Sì, sì!” Terzo boomed, wrapping his arm around Copia’s shoulders almost knocking the man over. “Come with me Copia and I will show you the heart of all that is Ghost.”

Copia looked over his shoulder at Morrigan, apprehensive of this sudden physical contact. Morrigan offered him no support, keeping her signature stony expression as she followed them down the hallway.

As they walked, Terzo would excitedly gesture to all the rooms they passed. Classrooms, lecture halls, clergy offices, and band practise halls. While Copia appreciated the extravagant detour, he couldn’t help but feel a little jostled. After a series of turns, Terzo let go of Copia, the relief immediate in his body language.

“Now this, Copia, is where the magic happens,” Terzo said excitedly, rubbing his gloved hands together. “Mia stella, I’m certain you know where I’m going with this.”

“I can think of a few places,” Morrigan said. Terzo subtly tensed at her barbed undertone before turning around, leading them a couple of steps toward a towering set of large gothic-styled wooden doors. Pushing one of them open, Terzo stepped inside, arms outstretched to bask in the warm glow of the room.

Copia looked back to Morrigan, receiving a curt nod in response. Stepping beyond the threshold, he was met with what could have possibly been the largest ballroom he had ever set eyes on. It was outstandingly ornate. A recently polished floor reflected the warm tungsten lightbulbs hanging above it, sitting in golden chandeliers. Marble pillars towered above them, connecting with the ornate coffered gold painted ceiling. A large glass window stood at the back of the room, giving the audience a spectacular view of the lake toward the far end of the grounds.

Copia couldn’t believe his eyes, he’d never seen something so grand before. He craned his neck upwards, drinking in as much of the architecture as he could. Terzo was raving about the grandeur of the place, but Copia didn’t pay attention; he was lost in a world of his own, amazed at the ornate ballroom that surrounded him.

“Are you listening, Cardinal?” Terzo asked, hands perched on his hips.

“Excuse me, Papa. I couldn’t help but get lost in my own world looking at the exquisite architecture.” Copia said, now rubbing his neck from having craned it for so long.

“I’m pulling your leg; I can’t blame a man for getting lost in the beauty of this ballroom.” Terzo finished with a confident resounding boom.

“Is this room used for anything?” Copia asked, receiving a shocked expression from Terzo.

“ _Used_ for anything?” Terzo guffawed. “We host a grand ball every Halloween here to celebrate the triumphs of Ghost, my dear Cardinal!”

“That sounds like a wonderful experience, Papa.” Copia smiled, looking around the room once more.

“More than that, it is a night to remember!” Terzo beamed, wrapping his arm around Copia’s shoulders again, raising his other arm to articulate. “Imagine, the room filled with the clergy, beautiful gowns and suits, the best food and drink you can buy, followed by our best orchestra as they perform a waltz for us.”

As the two men spoke, Morrigan slowly walked around the room, absentmindedly taking in the scenery. She had to agree with Terzo; Papa Nihil did organise the best Halloween Ball every year. Not only was it a time to celebrate the triumphs of Ghost and listen to some classical music; it was also a time that many a sibling would find their soulmate, or so the story goes. Morrigan sighed as she thought back to when she first arrived at the complex. Hearing about soulmates and fancy balls during Halloween was something that had gotten her excited every year. Every year she hoped to find her soul mate, and she thought she found them but was faced with a harsher reality instead.

“Mia Stella!” Terzo’s voice boomed from across the ballroom. Morrigan snapped out of her daydream, seeing the two men had meandered down to the end of the room.

Straightening up, Morrigan wasted no time making her way over to them. “Yes, Papa?”

“I’m afraid I must leave you both. Imperator has emailed me for a meeting and it’s one I seemingly cannot avoid,” Terzo faced Copia, taking his hand and shaking it once, yet firm. “It has been a pleasure talking to you, Copia. I look forward to speaking with you again.”

“Thank you, Papa. I greatly appreciate the quick history lesson you’ve given me this afternoon.” Copia smiled politely.

Feeling satisfied, Terzo turned to Morrigan. “Mia Stella, I hope to see you again soon,” He said before taking her hand, planting a kiss on it. “Take care of the Cardinal.”

Before Morrigan had a chance to respond, Terzo was making a beeline for the exit. Morrigan felt enraged.

Copia, noticing her darkening expression, asked delicately. “Is everything alright, Morrigan?”

Inhaling deep, she pinched the bridge of her nose. “I’ll be fine, Cardinal. Shall we continue on with the tour?” She replied, desperately wanting to leave the room.

“Uh, yes. Of course.” He said, clearing his throat. “After you.”

As they walked out of the ballroom, Copia could feel the rage pulsating from Morrigan. What, he wondered, had Papa done to cause such a reaction from something so innocent?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I extend MASSIVE apologies for those wanting the next chapter and having to wait so long! College has completely overwhelmed me and trying to find the time to write this fanfic has been very difficult. However, that's not to say I haven't been thinking about it.   
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I had in writing it <3 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading my fic! <3


	4. Sightseeing with Cardinal Copia - Part II

The day had been incredibly long and emotionally exhaustive on the Cardinal; especially when lunchtime hit, as siblings surrounded him in droves. He appreciated their welcomes, that was true, but there are only so many advances that he can reject in a single day, veiled or not. The sun had already embarked on its descent from the sky; an orange glow filtering through the ministry’s windows while Morrigan brought him to another part of the complex.

The basement was cold and dark. Siblings would actively avoid this place, mostly due to it being restricted for lower members of the clergy. However, there was a legend that had floated from one ghoul to another that the basement was haunted. While one could argue that this was partially true, due to a section of it being reserved for a morgue, the other reason was because of the summoning chambers.

The Papa’s and their ghouls would be often found in these chambers as they summoned a new ghoul from hell. It was a gruelling experience, one that would ensure a weeks’ worth of rest for those involved.

Morrigan tread forward slowly with an air of confidence, holding a sconce in front of her.

“Where are we headed now, Morrigan?” Copia asked, apprehensive of the buckled stone floor beneath him.

“I’m taking you to our summoning chambers.”

“We’re doing one now?” he asked, surprised.

“Not today, at least. Unless you have a desire to add another ghoul to your cabal?” Morrigan breathed, squinting to see in front of the impossibly dark void.

“No, I should be fine. I did acquire new recruitments in the last couple of months, so I have my hands full.”

“That’s good to hear.” Morrigan smiled, albeit briefly.

The only sound reverberating in this dark chasm was their shoes clacking off the stone floor.

“I wish Papa Nihil would have installed wiring down here though. I appreciate the aesthetic of a wall sconce, but it isn’t exactly what you’d call adequate lighting.” She sighed, sarcastically.

Copia couldn’t help but chuckle. “You have a point.” he turned around to see the light from the stairs growing smaller. It felt like he was being swallowed up by the darkness.

Turning back, he had almost walked into Morrigan as she had suddenly stopped. It had taken him a moment to adjust to the darkness but soon came to realise he stood outside one of the summoning chambers.

He didn’t realise how close he was to Morrigan when she turned to face him.

“I can’t open the doors for you right now but have a look through this window with me.” She motioned toward the iron cover on the window.

Sliding it back, a starkly lit white room burned through the darkness before them. It had a round section depressed into the floor, a table in the back of the room accompanied by a few chairs, and a wide shelving unit hanging on the wall adorned with various tools and books.

“It’s strangely… beautiful,” Copia remarked.

“It’s certainly more peaceful now when it is empty. Not every summoning ends with a fully intact ghoul.” She said, looking around the room.

“Unfortunately, of that I’m aware.” Copia sighed, casting his gaze down at the handle of the door.

Morrigan slowly closed the iron cover once more, plunging them both back into darkness. A few moments had passed, both quiet.

“Are you alright, Cardinal?” Morrigan asked, gently.

Her soft tone had caught Copia off guard momentarily. “Hm? Yes. I’m fine. A memory came back to mind, that’s all.”

“This has been a tremendously long day for you, Cardinal. We have seen mostly all the important rooms, halls, and landmarks of the complex. However, if I were to show you all the ministry’s secrets, it would take more than a day.” She said as a small but soft smile played across her features.

“Unless there is a secret passageway back to my quarters, then I must pass.” He said, stifling a yawn. She was right, the day had been incredibly long, and rest was the next best thing he could take a tour of.

Morrigan smirked up at Copia, making him raise an eyebrow.

“What? What tricks have you up in your sleeve?” He asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Tell me, Cardinal. Do you wish to take the long way back to your room, or go my way?” She said, her hand perched on her hip.

“Alright, you have my interest. Let us go your way, hm?” He said, raising his arm to direct Morrigan back the way they came. She laughed.

“We need to work on your sense of direction. You don’t want to know what leads us down that way.”

Copia turned, expecting to see the lit staircase he descended from earlier only to be greeted by the pitch-black darkness. It was vastly unsettling.

“After you, Morrigan.”

Copia had no idea where he was. His sense of direction had turned on its head when Morrigan lead him around a series of turns, reminding him of the maze of books in the library. Soon, they were faced with an old and worn wooden lever embedded into the wall. Passing her torch to Copia, she wrestled with the lever.

“Do you need help with that?” He asked, seeing her struggling against the stubborn lever.

The familiar clunk of an old mechanism echoed around the room as an answer to his question. Smirking once more, she took the torch off him. Holding it out in front of her, the false wall had completely slid down into the floor. Motioning him into the gaping maw, she followed him in, pressing a hidden pressure plate in the wall to close it. The walls around them gently rumbled with its movement before shuddering to a deafening silence.

Stepping in front of Copia, she shone the torch out in front of her once more, illuminating the dusty floor.

“Impressive.” He mused, taking in his surroundings.

“It’s especially useful for when you need to escape some insistent members of the clergy.” She nodded.

“Why do I have a feeling you are speaking from experience?” Copia asked a wry smile painted across his features.

Morrigan tapped her nose, refusing to answer. A short chuckle escaped him, shaking his head.

“Alright, keep your secrets.” He smiled.

Morrigan turned, leading him up towards a dusty spiral staircase and through a series of tunnels. Cobwebs lined the walls, coated thick with dust. It would prove useless to dust in these tunnels as it was rare enough for people to use them. It did add to the spooky aesthetic, however.

Climbing up the last set of spiral stairs, Morrigan stood a few steps above Copia. Handing him the torch, she pulled something out of sight, causing the false wall in front of her to slightly jut forward. A sliver of light pierced through the gloom, blinding them momentarily. Morrigan peeked through the crack, checking to see none were around. She tried to keep these tunnels a secret to the siblings; who knows what sort of trouble they’d get into. Morrigan certainly didn’t want to be given clean up duty, should said siblings become adventurous in the dark.

Pushing the false wall in front of her, she motioned for Copia. He placed the sconce back onto the wall, a convenient little holder a few inches away from the door. Stepping out, a small wave of relief overcame him as the fading light of the sunset greeted him. He didn’t realise how tense he was until he let out the breath he was holding.

Quickly, Morrigan pulled the false wall back into place, the seams rendering themselves invisible as it settled into its frame. To the untrained eye, it was just an ordinary wall.

“Wandering through those tunnels can be daunting the first few times,” Morrigan said, dusting off her vestments.

“Daunting isn’t the word for it.” Copia sighed, taking in another deep breath before relaxing once more.

“You don’t need to use the tunnels; however, I would suggest you keep them a secret. I don’t want to find any unwanted presents from the younger members of the clergy in there.” She breathed.

“My lips are sealed.” Copia nodded, a yawn threatening to crawl out of his mouth. “Are we close to my room, Morrigan?”

“Turn around.” Morrigan chuckled, hands behind her back once more.

In doing so, he realised he was at the end of the hall where he shares his residency with the previous Papa’s; his room mere feet away.

“Ahh, I like this tunnel.” Copia mused, walking toward his door.

“I thought you might.” Morrigan smiled, following him as he unlocked his room.

Stepping inside, he motioned for Morrigan to come in. Turning, he saw his bookcases filled to the brim with his belongings; ancient tomes, little trinkets from around the world, scrolls, skulls, and a few candlesticks.

“Your ghouls work fast.” Morrigan noticed, taking in the room. It looked as though it had always been Copia’s room.

“As they should. They wouldn’t be my ghouls otherwise.” He said, rummaging through one of the cabinets before straightening up with a bottle of scotch in his hands. “Would you care for a drink, Morrigan?”

“No, thank you.” She replied, a tight smile forming across her face. He noticed. Copia placed the bottle down, figuring he’d pour himself a glass of it later.

A soft chime echoed around the room, disturbing the sudden tense silence that loomed between them both. Morrigan checked her phone; Imperator is looking for her.

Straightening once more, Morrigan locked eyes with Copia. “I hope you feel satisfied with today’s tour of the grounds, Cardinal. I don’t expect you to know the layout right away, so don’t hesitate to ask me for directions.”

“Ah. Yes, I appreciate it,” Copia hummed, albeit absentmindedly. “I think that will be all for this evening. I still have a couple of things I need to prepare for the week ahead so we shall reconvene tomorrow.”

Morrigan nodded. “Same time, as usual, Cardinal?”

“Yes. I will email you if there are any changes to the schedule.” He politely nodded, hands clasped behind his back as he spoke.

Morrigan opened the door, stepping out of the room she turned to see the Cardinal standing closer to the door than she expected. “Good night, Cardinal. Have a pleasant evening.”

He placed his hand on the door, smiling into Morrigan’s face, “Good night, Morrigan. Please, call me Copia.”

Silently nodding, her shoes echoed off the walls as she walked down the hall toward the staircase, hearing a sharp locking of the door behind her. Suddenly it was just her and the old portraits again, looming down at her. However, this time she felt as though they were hiding a secret.

-

It didn’t take long for Morrigan to reach Imperator’s office, having been located on the floor directly below where the bloodline sleeps. This hallway was adorned with a litany of different offices; mostly financial, with the rest being for other relatively higher members of the clergy. Imperator’s office sat at the end of the hall, almost as though she were to be looking over the rest of the ministry, Morrigan noted.

Knocking on the door, Morrigan waited until she heard a sharp “Enter.” Opening the door, Imperator motioned for Morrigan to sit down on the wooden chair in front of her desk.

“Close the door, please. This is with relation to Cardinal Copia.” Sister Imperator said, sternly.

Morrigan quickly shut the door, wasting no time in sitting in front of the large mahogany desk littered with various papers and files.

“I trust the tour today went well?” Imperator breathed; her hands joined as they rested on her lap.

“Yes, Sister. I brought the Cardinal around the complex to as many rooms as we could fit in today. He retired early.” Morrigan recounted.

“I see. Today went without a hitch then?”

“If you want to exclude the groups of siblings bombarding him with advances, then yes.”

Imperator laughed. “Yes, well, that was to be expected. He is the new frontman after all. How do you find our new Cardinal?”

Morrigan couldn’t help but be intrigued at Imperator asking such a question. She never asked her before when she was briefly under Papa Emeritus II’s reign, nor when she was moved to being Papa Emeritus III’s assistant.

“He’s quiet, polite. That’s all I can say, for now, Sister.” Morrigan replied, keeping her poker face. Something about Imperator’s subtle smile rubbed her the wrong way but she couldn’t place it yet.

“Good. Should there be any difficulties or grievances, don’t hesitate to seek my help.” Imperator nodded, watching Morrigan.

A brief silence marinated between them both before Imperator leaned forward, opening her desk drawer to place a manilla folder on the desk between them.

“This is the itinerary for the next couple of weeks. You will be helping Cardinal Copia in learning and rehearsing the albums that have been previously released with the assistance of Terzo.”

Morrigan took the folder and flicked it open, her eyes scanning across the pages in front of her as Imperator spoke.

“You will assist him with his stage performance too. We need something new for our Church of Ghost, something the previous Papa’s haven’t given us yet. That is one of your top priorities for band rehearsal.”

Morrigan nodded, closing the folder. She wondered if Terzo helping Copia rehearse was going to be a good idea or not; especially considering Terzo had his position taken away from him not even 24 hours ago.

Imperator sat back in her chair, rubbing her temples as she spoke. “Considering the time of year as well, you will need to prepare the Cardinal for the annual Hallows Eve Ball.”

“That’s not for another three weeks, that should be enough time to get him acquainted,” Morrigan replied positively.

Imperator raised an eyebrow at her. “Your optimism is nauseating,” Imperator chuckled, “However I don’t doubt you’ll have him ready before then.”

Morrigan played with the edge of the folder, mulling over the details in her head before Imperator spoke again.

“I think that’s enough for now. Go on, you and I have work to do and it won’t get done with us idly chatting.”

Morrigan nodded as she stood, making her way to the door.

“Get some rest, Morrigan. You have a busy day tomorrow with rehearsal.”

“Thank you, Sister Imperator.” Morrigan breathed, bowing low before she left the room, closing the door with a dull clunk.

She stood outside the door, gazing down at the folder clutched between her hands. There was something about Imperator that seemed a little off and it annoyed Morrigan that she couldn’t figure it out yet. Realising there wasn’t enough to go on, she idly made her way to her bedroom again.

The halls were growing quiet once more as the church began to wind down for the night. The occasional romp could be heard through some of the paper-thin walls, other rooms more occupied with who won first place in a video game as petty arguments filtered through the open doors. It made Morrigan smile fondly as she reminisced on her all-nighters with her best friends.

Except these friends were ghouls. With her time being assistant to the bloodline, it didn’t provide her much opportunity to make friends with the human side of the clergy. It often made her feel sad, resentful towards her position at times, however, she couldn’t deny how lucky she was to play a big part behind the scenes. Touring was one of her favourite things to take part in, seeing familiar cities and towns while adding new ones to her memory banks as they travelled from venue to venue.

It was something she was going to miss, while she helps train the new Cardinal in being a better frontman than the last. How she was going to achieve that, she didn’t know, but she was going to try.

Arriving at her room, she unlocked the door with a satisfying click. Pushing it in, the same ear-splitting creaking reverberated around the halls, disrupting the peace.

“I really need to get that damn door oiled,” Morrigan grumbled under her breath.

It didn’t take her long to shed the long workday off her as she slipped into her favourite loungewear; a fitted grey t-shirt with black sweatpants. Letting her hair down, she flopped onto the bed. The folder lay on her bedside locker, taunting her. She knew she had to open it to go over tomorrow’s itinerary, but it felt like a mammoth task right now.

A soft chime interrupted her thoughts. Checking her phone, she received a message from Terzo.

_09:34pm - Terzo: Buonasera, mia stella. I hope the Cardinal didn’t take up too much of your energy today ;)”_

Sighing, Morrigan responded.

_09:35 pm - Morrigan: The day is long enough without you pestering me._

_09:37 pm - Terzo: Ok ok, I get it. So, are you excited about tomorrow?_

_09:40 pm – Morrigan: I see we have a brief rehearsal tomorrow with Copia. This should be interesting._

_09:42 pm – Terzo: I hope he knows how to take instructions well. Then again, he was following you around like a lost puppy today._

_09:43 pm – Morrigan: Do I detect a hint of jealousy, Terzo?_

_09:50 pm – Terzo: I don’t know what you’re talking about. Papa doesn’t get jealous_

_09:52 pm – Morrigan: Don’t try and fool me, Terzo. I know what you were up to in the ballroom earlier._

_09:53 pm – Terzo: What? Can’t Papa give a goodbye kiss to una bella signora?_

_09:55 pm – Morrigan: You’re insufferable. I know what you’re up to._

_09:58 pm – Terzo: Alright alright, Satanas below._

_10:02 pm – Morrigan: I better go and read over this folder Imperator gave me. I’ll see you in the morning, Terzo._

_10:03 pm – Terzo: You’re allowed to rest, you know. Give yourself a break._

_10:05 pm – Morrigan: I will after I read this file._

_10:07 pm – Terzo: To think you perceive me as stubborn. Alright, buonanotte mia stella. I’ll see you in the morning._

Morrigan turned her phone to silent, making sure she wasn’t disturbed as she spent the next hour pouring over the details in the folder.

Tomorrow was going to be a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Thank you for reading chapter 4!  
> I'm really enjoying where this fic is going. I have a lot to plan out for it, but I'm excited nonetheless! I'm going to be SWAMPED with college assignments, so I hope these chapters will keep you guys' satiated for the time being <3 
> 
> Let me know what you think so far!   
> See you soon! <3


	5. Rehearsal

Rain pattered gently against the window, a low white noise permeating the silence of Morrigan’s sanctuary. Tucked up in her sheets, she stared at the clock; 7:15 am. Papers scattered onto the already messy floor as she forced herself to sit up. She had spent what felt like hours poring over the details of the folder Imperator gave her. Rehearsals, the Hallows Eve Ball, national and international touring…

“One step at a time, Morrigan,” She whispered to herself. “It’s only day two yet.” Kicking off her bedsheets, she got herself ready to face the day.

Just as she was about to leave, her phone beeped. Checking it, it was a message from Terzo.

_7:35am – Terzo: Knock knock c:_

Morrigan smiled, shaking her head. Making her way to the door, she opened it to be met with Terzo standing there, coffee cups in hand.

“Good morning, Morrigan,” Terzo chirped, handing her the cup of coffee before walking into her room “Ready to show this newbie the ropes?”

Taking a sip, Morrigan could feel a small surge of confidence bustling through her.

“I don’t know what to expect if I’m being honest. Looking through the files, it’s a relief to know that Copia has a background in music.”

“Ooh, Copia huh? We’re on a first name basis already?” Terzo smirked, taking a sip of his coffee as he raised his eyebrows suggestively at her.

“You were no different when we first met, Terzo.”

“I refuse to see your point.” Terzo quipped, sticking his tongue out.

Shaking her head once more, she laughed as she pushed him out of her bedroom, locking the door behind them.

“On a serious note, it should prove useful that Copia is familiar with music. Satanas give me strength if we had to start at the _start_.” Terzo sighed, downing another gulp of coffee. How he hasn’t burnt his throat already is a mystery to all.

Morrigan turned in the direction toward the west wing, only to be pulled back by Terzo.

“Where are you going, mia stella?” he asked.

“To get our Cardinal?” Morrigan replied, confused.

“I passed him on the way down to you cara, he’s already there doing sound checks with his ghouls.”

Morrigan raised her eyebrows, equally shocked and impressed at the initiative.

“I didn’t expect to hear that.” She breathed, making her way towards the sound room with Terzo.

“Neither did I. Let us hope his apparent determination follows through, otherwise I fear for his life.” He chuckled, making a sideways glance towards Morrigan.

“Why do I have a feeling you’re speaking from experience, Terzo?” she eyed him, taking another sip of her coffee as they turned a corner down another hall.

“You still give me nightmares.”

“Good.”

Siblings of sin were starting to filter through the halls in droves, some trying desperately to surround Terzo in their affections only to be met with the icy glare of Morrigan and the remorseful eyes of Terzo. However, the reassurances from him about making it up to them later abated their sorrows and was swiftly replaced with lust. Rolling her eyes, Morrigan dragged Terzo down the hall and into the sound room.

The occasional beat vibrating through the floor along with the faint but familiar plucking of a guitar being tuned began to reverberate in Morrigan’s ears. Before heading into the main recording hall, Morrigan stopped and sat in one of the spare stools in the mixing booth. Butterflies pierced her stomach as she placed her now empty coffee cup into the bin. Taking deep breaths, she stared at the floor trying to take control of her growing anxiety. As she held her stomach, she could feel a hand on her arm. Looking up, she was met with Terzo’s worried glance as he knelt before her.

“Are you alright? Do you need a minute?” he asked, pushing her hair out of her face to help her breathe.

“It feels like it’s all happening too fast.” She breathed, looking everywhere else but him.

“Hey, look at me,” he spoke softly, gently guiding her face to look at his. “Breathe with me, sì? Like this.”

Slowly, Terzo had Morrigan match his breathing. In through the nose and out of the mouth.

“It doesn’t matter how long it takes, I’m not having you go in there until you’re feeling better,” he said, looking into the waste bin at the empty coffee cup. “Maybe I shouldn’t have given you the coffee earlier?”

“Maybe not, but I appreciate it all the same.” Morrigan breathed, albeit shakily.

“I know you do.” Terzo smiled, softly. He gently rubbed her shoulder before he spoke again.

“While now might not be the best time to tell me your worries, don’t hesitate to talk to me later sì? You have an awful habit of keeping your stress bottled up inside.”

“Thanks, Terzo.”

Morrigan breathed deeply once more, feeling the intensity of the butterflies lessen as she sat up. Terzo sat back on his haunches, his arm resting on his knee as he looked around the room. “I should get you some water, there must be some around here.”

“We can worry about water later. We need to get inside and get Copia started first.” Morrigan said as she stood, smoothing down her clothes before fixing her hair into place again.

Standing, Terzo held a concerned expression. He didn’t like Morrigan putting herself on the backburner.

“Alright, cara. Shall we?” he motioned toward the door.

Walking toward it, he held it open. They were met with a myriad of sounds from the group of ghouls before them, all testing their instruments at different keys and pitches. Copia stood in the middle of them talking to the Aether ghoul Morrigan had met the day before. A black electric guitar hung lazily at his side as he listened to Copia, nodding every now and then as he spoke. Copia was dressed in a black version of his red cassock, the bejewelled grucifix hanging around his neck glittering in the studio lights above him.

Suddenly, Aether’s eyes found Morrigan and Terzo standing at the doors down at the end of the hall. He motioned to Copia, bringing his attention to them as they began walking toward them.

“Ah, Papa! Morrigan! Good morning to you both!” Copia boomed, a broad smile painted across his features.

“Wait, Morrigan?” a voice repeated from behind Copia.

Morrigan turned to look behind him, locking eyes with a tall, slender ghoul.

“Swiss? Is that you?” Morrigan gasped, eyes widening in excitement.

Swiss ran to Morrigan, picking her up in a hug and swirling around in the spot before putting her back down.

“Guys! Morrigan’s back!” Swiss bellowed, excitedly.

A couple other ghouls lifted their heads toward the sudden commotion a couple feet away from them.

“Hey Morrigan! Missed me?” A smaller ghoul beamed; arms outstretched.

“Dew! It’s been way too long!” Morrigan said as she practically jumped into his arms, squeezing him tight.

“Hey! Don’t forget about us!” another voice bellowed from behind the keyboards. Turning, she saw two more ghouls making their way toward her.

“Cirrus! Cumulus! I didn’t recognise any of you with the new masks!” Morrigan said as she gazed in awe at the new gear.

“I gotta say it, we look good in these.” Cumulus said as she posed next to Cirrus, causing a light laughter to fill the room.

Copia stood frozen as though someone had put him on pause as he looked on in confusion at the sudden ruckus around him. He turned to Aether in the hopes he may provide an answer only to be met with a shrug of his shoulders. It took him a second to realise why he found it so jarring but was swiftly interrupted by Terzo before he could make his conclusion.

“These are Morrigan’s closest friends here in the ministry. They’ve known each other for years.” Terzo interjected, making Copia turn to him as he spoke.

“I had no idea. The ghouls never mentioned anything about her when they first joined me a couple of months ago.” Copia mused, curious.

“They were sent to you to serve you, Copia. I wouldn’t be so surprised that they failed to mention her when they have strict instructions from Papa Nihil.” Terzo sighed, looking on at the group of chattering ghouls.

Copia didn’t say anything, his eyes focused on the group of friends in front of him. He was loathed to break up what seemed to be a well needed reunion, however he had work to do.

“Morrigan! It’s good to see you are familiar with some of my ghouls!” Copia beamed, a warm smile plastered across his face as he stepped closer.

Morrigan turned away from her friends, meeting Copia’s gaze as she put her hands behind her back. The ghouls noticed and returned to their stations, testing their instruments once more as they practised scales.

“It’s a surprise to see them, but a pleasant one. Although, I don’t think I’ve been acquainted with the rest of the ghouls over there.” Morrigan motioned toward the drummer and bassist. “I briefly met Aether but not long enough to have a chat.”

“Ah yes! Let me introduce you to my ghouls; Aether, Mountain and Rain,” He motioned toward them with his arm raised, all of them gently bowing towards Morrigan.

“Pleased to meet you ghouls. I look forward to getting to know you a little better.” Morrigan smiled politely.

“Alright, enough with the pleasantries. Shall we get started?” Copia breathed, rubbing his gloved hands together in anticipation.

Terzo stepped forward, “Everyone into position, let us show our Cardinal how big the shoes he has to fill are.”

Setting up the microphone stand, Terzo turned to the ghouls muttering something only they could hear. Morrigan stood back with Copia, making their way over to the collection of chairs at the side of the room.

“How are you feeling, Morrigan?” Copia asked as he took his seat, sitting next to her.

“I’m doing well, thank you. How was your first night at the ministry?” She replied, trying to hide the anxiety rippling in her stomach as she relaxed into her chair.

“It was comfortable, quiet. The west wing provides great solace, especially after sorting through a never-ending amount of paperwork.” Copia chuckled, crossing his right leg over his left as he faced her.

“Take as many quiet nights as you can.”

“What do you mean?” He asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

“Let’s just say that we should be thankful we live in a time of noise-cancelling headphones being a thing that exists.” She replied, tapping her nose.

“Oh. _Oh._ ” He breathed as it finally clicked for him. Morrigan laughed at his expression as the ball finally dropped.

The pair were taken out of their pleasant chat as Terzo took the mic.

“Watch and learn, Copia.” He smirked.

The band soon started into a riff Morrigan was all too familiar with; Square Hammer. She couldn’t help but tap her foot to the beat of the drums as the guitars rode in on the melody. Terzo quickly got into the rhythm, shimmying his body to the beat before he sang into his verse. Morrigan closed her eyes, the memory of stage lights and a roaring crowded flooding back to her. She couldn’t wait to get back on the road again; not only was it a break from the ministry and its incredibly monotonous duties, but it was a visual break from the old stone walls she had grown to call home. Travelling the world, experiencing new cultures and scenery was something Morrigan always looked forward to.

She opened her eyes again seeing Copia had now leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as his hands were perched under his chin. From what Morrigan could see, she appreciated how focused Copia looked toward the set. His eyes flitting to Terzo then back to his ghouls, taking mental notes as they navigated the floor.

Copia sat up and turned to look at Morrigan.

“I have big shoes to fill, eh?” He shouted, pointing his thumb back at the band.

“Yeah, but don’t tell Terzo that. You’ll never hear the end of it.” Morrigan shouted back, laughing with Copia before they turned their attention back to the band once more.

Soon, the song ended, Dewdrop bellowing in excitement.

“Damn it feels good to play again!” Dewdrop shouted, his chest heaving from exhilaration.

Copia stood, clapping as he walked toward the band.

“Well, Copia? Do you think you have what it takes?” Terzo teased, a sly smile painted across his face.

Copia chuckled. “That was certainly a performance, Papa,” he replied, giving Terzo no fuel for the fire he tried to make.

“There are a lot of things we all need to learn,” Morrigan interjected as she stood, putting herself between them to defuse the tension. “Not only do we have a new frontman, we have a mix of ghouls from different era’s that need guidance, alongside a new album that Cardinal Copia will be writing. It is essential that we all work together to make it a success.”

Terzo lazily rested his arm atop the mic stand, his body facing Copia as he gave her a sideways glance. Pursing his lips, he dropped his attitude.

“Sì, mia stella. It is time we focus, no time like the present.” Terzo breathed, replacing the mic into the clip of the stand.

Copia rubbed his chin in thought, the room still in stagnant energy. “One thing we could start with, Papa, is my performance on stage. How do you suggest I keep the attention of the crowd?”

Terzo’s eyes beamed, a bright smile on his face as he raised his arms in excitement. “Ah, an excellent place to start,” he said, wrapping an arm around his shoulder as he led Copia away to the opposite side of the room. “Good thing you asked me, my older brother’s have no idea what a stage presence is.”

As they walked away, Copia shot back a quick glance at Morrigan. She mouthed a quick ‘thank you’ at him, having him wink discreetly before returning to the conversation with Terzo.

Morrigan let out a sigh she didn’t know she was holding, her shoulders dropping.

“Hey, everything okay?” Swiss asked, gently tapping her shoulder. Looking up, she could see the concern swimming in his eyes. Dew looked on at them as he tuned his guitar.

“Yeah. I think? I don’t know,” She breathed quietly. “There’s been a lot of change in such a short amount of time and”

“You feel you had no time to prepare?” Dew said, finishing her sentence. A small but knowing smile spread across her face.

“Is it that obvious?” she asked.

“We’ve known you for 18 years. How bad friends would we be if we didn’t know your quirks by now?” Swiss chuckled, his hand now resting on his hip.

Morrigan straightened as she turned to Aether as he spoke to Mountain and Rain.

“Hey, I know we haven’t had much of a chance to talk but I’d love to get to know you all a bit better.” She said as she extended her hand towards Aether. For a tall and burly ghoul, he had a gentle handshake as he introduced himself.

“That would be great. I’m Aether as you know, we briefly met yesterday,” He said as he shook her hand. Turning around, he guided her to the drum set perched behind him. An even taller ghoul stood in front of her, drumsticks in one hand as he extended the other.

“Hello, I’m Mountain. It’s lovely to meet you finally, I’ve heard a great many things about you.” He said, shaking her hand firmly. Looking at the confusion forming on her face, he interjected. “Good things!”

Morrigan laughed, “I’m more concerned at the source you got this information from.” She said as she looked at Dewdrop.

“Hey!” Dewdrop spat, “Don’t look at me!” he pouted, returning to tune his guitar again in bitter silence.

“This is Rain,” Mountain said as he guided Morrigan to him.

“Hello, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” He said, albeit as quiet as a whisper. He shook her hand, his touch as light as a feather as his eyes searched through hers. It didn’t go unnoticed.

“Hey Rain, it’s a delight to meet you.” Morrigan breathed, a feeling of unease brewing in her stomach as his eyes locked onto hers. It was as though he was looking for something, but what she didn’t know.

Standing back into the centre of the group, she turned to her friends once more. “So where have you guys been? It’s been lonely around here without you.”

“Well, we went to commune with the Dark Lord to get new orders.” Cirrus said as she sat atop her stool, lightly spinning in place.

“The new orders being to serve Copia, yes?” Morrigan asked.

“Yes, amongst other things.” Cirrus breathed, her tone quietening as she spoke, looking at the ghouls. Morrigan noticed the slight trepidation in the air between them all.

“We can’t talk about them right now, Morrigan. I hope you understand.” Cumulus spoke, a sympathetic look in her eyes.

“Of course, orders are orders.” She nodded. She would press for more information if it were the ministry giving them orders, but she knew when to hold her tongue; especially if it was an order from Satanas below.

“We’re more or less the same ghouls you’ve grown up with, just with three new additions to the ranks.” Swiss nodded.

“Do you guys still have your abilities? I remember some of you mentioning them becoming weaker.” Morrigan asked. Dewdrop was about to answer when he was interrupted by Terzo and Copia laughing loudly on the opposite side of the room. The pair had nestled themselves into a corner, mugs in their hands as they chatted amongst themselves.

“Good to see those two getting along.” Aether remarked. Morrigan couldn’t agree more. Copia felt eyes on him, causing him to turn toward the group as he acknowledged them with a curt nod.

Morrigan bowed slightly toward him before turning back to the group.

“I feel today is more of a ‘meet and greet’ than actual practise.” She muttered.

Dewdrop dragged a stool over to Morrigan, “I see nothing wrong with that! It’s been weeks since we were all together.” The ghouls looked at her, expectantly.

“Yeah, I could do with an easy day.” She smiled as she sat on the stool, the rest of the ghouls surrounding her in a semi-circle.

Minutes turned into hours as they all chatted amongst themselves. Aether was a big softie once Morrigan got to know him a little better. She could see a budding rivalry between him and Dewdrop as they fired jests back and forth. Cirrus and Cumulus sidled up next to Morrigan, boosting her morale. They meant so much to her; her ‘besties from hell’ as they coined themselves.

Swiss sat next to Rain, listening intently to Mountain as he explained the technicalities of beats performed in music. Seeing them all again after so long made Morrigan feel optimistic about the future.

Copia and Terzo were still perched at their table, a notebook splayed out between them; mostly marked with Copia’s handwriting. Terzo looked on at the band at the other side of the room, smiling fondly.

“I think seeing them today helped.” He sighed, leaning his arm against the table.

“Oh?” Copia muttered, taking a sip from his mug of now lukewarm tea.

Terzo still gazing at the group, continued, “Sì, before you had arrived Morrigan had grown more, how do you say, inward? She became more serious on the outside, but on the inside she was lonely. I don’t think those ghouls realise how much she relies on them, never mind adore them.”

Despite Morrigan mostly facing Copia with her back, he noticed how brighter her demeanour had become. “I wouldn’t have noticed, Papa.”

He waved his hand, “How are you to know? You know her for one day,” He sighed, quietly, staring at the floor before meeting Copia’s face. He kept quiet, his white eye piercing Copia’s growing worried expression.

“Papa?” He asked, attempting to break the silence.

“It is nothing, sì?” Terzo breathed, looking down into his hands.

Copia sat, looking back at the group again. Morrigan stood next to Aether, holding his guitar as he showed her how to manoeuvre a chord. Something in the way she looked so focused on learning stirred something within him, something he didn’t know yet.

“Papa,” Copia spoke, causing the anti-pope to look at him again. “If there is something, I can do to make Morrigan’s transition easier, could you tell me?”

A wistful smile found its way onto Terzo’s face, a mournful look in his eye as he looked on toward her. “Be patient with her. She will be distant, for a time, but she will get there,” he sighed. Pushing his hand through his hair, he straightened up as he turned back to Copia. “She’s a ‘workaholic’ as they say, so my request to you is to make sure she takes a break, sì?”

“Yes, Papa.”

“Please, call me Terzo,” He nodded curtly, before checking his watch. “I’m afraid I have to go, Copia. I have what feels like never ending meetings with Imperator.” He said as he stood, Copia following suit. Shaking his hand, he walked over to the group announcing his leave. Copia couldn’t help but notice an odd expression on Morrigan’s face as she spoke with Terzo, their conversation indecipherable.

Terzo left, walking out of the studio with a determined look in his eye, Morrigan’s eyes following him out. As the doors swung shut, Morrigan cast her eyes to Copia. Her once hard expression softened slightly as she waved him over.

“Shall we continue, Copia?” she asked, the rest of the ghouls moving the chairs back as they took their positions once more.

“Most certainly, Morrigan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see! I hope you like this chapter! I had this written out for a while, but it needed some work considering I was adding in the rest of our beloved ghouls.
> 
> I'd love to hear what you think so far! <3 Have a good day everyone! x


	6. The Lounge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning: Brief mentions of past abuse are present in this chapter. While it does not go into graphic detail, it may be triggering for some readers. If that's not your thing, please skip this chapter <3

The sun had gone down hours ago, plunging the room into comfortable darkness save for the ornate lamp sitting atop his desk. The past week had been mentally taxing enough without having to sort through revisions of the school’s curriculum, alongside having to put up with seemingly never-ending meetings about the future of the church. It was without question that Copia attended them, however, he did wish that some of the meetings could have been written in a staff email. Despite his frustrations, he must wear a poker face; he arrived three weeks ago and not only does he have to face a new congregation, but he must prove to Papa Nihil that he can handle his newly acquired position. Any slight hesitation on Copia’s part will only add fuel to the fire that Nihil has fanned against him.

“He’s not part of the bloodline,” Nihil would say, repeatedly and within earshot. “The bloodline has not been broken for nigh a millennium, and now you want to bring this _cardinal_ in to lead us?”

“The Cardinal is our next senior-most member. He’s been your right-hand man.” Imperator replied, defending Copia.

“But Sister…”

“Need I remind you; he holds the esteemed honour of second-most employee of the month awards!” 

They’d continue to fight amongst themselves as Copia waited outside Imperator’s office door feeling nothing but disdain towards Nihil. He appreciated Imperator’s efforts to defend him, but her words were nothing more than that; just words. Nihil demanded to see indisputable proof of his diligence and devotion but Copia was going to give him more than that. Some days had been so volatile between Imperator and Nihil that he would break down into a coughing fit, fumbling with his oxygen mask to suck another week of life into him. He was practically on death’s doorstep but the old bastard refused to give up the ghost. On a bad day, Copia felt Nihil was still alive out of spite.

Nihil would leave Imperator’s office, his two assistant siblings in tow pulling his oxygen tank with tiny hands as he stared down his nose at the Cardinal. Copia bowed out of respect, as was the custom, but he couldn’t help but feel humiliated; especially when passing members of the clergy could hear Nihil and Imperator arguing over Copia’s eligibility in being the new frontman.

“Let them gossip,” Morrigan would say, “You have people within this clergy that respect and support you, eager to follow you down the path of damnation that awaits them.” He often thought back to Morrigan’s support when it came to Nihil; it gave him a slight reprieve. 

Sighing, he roughly sat back into his office chair, causing the wheels to squeak while he rubbed his forehead. Not only does he have to put up with Nihil second-guessing him at every turn, but he also has Terzo pestering him about the annual Hallows Eve Ball. “You can’t just wear a basic black suit; this is a masquerade ball! Only the finest of clothes must be worn, sì?” Copia tried to fend him off but failed as Terzo dragged him out of the ministry to a day of clothes shopping. As they made their way to the city in Terzo’s black vintage Rolls Royce, Copia couldn’t help but think about the ever-growing pile of paperwork waiting for him at his desk. He had no time to waste on buying fancy clothes for a ball he had no date for.

“I’ll be wearing a mask, amico; you must get one too, sì? The element of surprise gets the sisters… _excitable._ ” Copia would wave him off, refusing to discuss the intricacies of Terzo’s bedroom escapades. “Bah! You are no fun,” Terzo would feign hurt, then almost immediately get distracted by a nearby rack of silken robes before promptly throwing his favourites into the growing pile of clothes his ghoul was carrying. Copia couldn’t help but feel pity for the ghoul, especially seeing them struggle with the weight.

“Copia! I have found the perfect thing for you to wear!” Terzo would shout as he dragged an unwilling Copia to another part of the store.

He rubbed his knees, recalling the memory. They had walked for _hours_ , going into every store Terzo found interesting enough to peruse. Once they got back to the car, knowing Terzo’s ministry’s credit card chip had burned a hole in his pocket, his ghoul would be at the trunk figuring out a way to get all the exquisite outfits and accessories into it without squashing anything. Many of the bags belonged to Terzo, leaving a small portion to Copia.

He glanced to his left, seeing the designer bags sitting on the floor of his bedroom through the door; the top of the black-feathered bird mask staring back at him through the dimly moonlit room. He thought back to Imperator getting on his case about writing new songs that are better than his predecessor; a task he took very seriously but had proven to be fruitless yet.

“You haven’t been in the ministry for long, Copia,” Rain reassured him as they took breaks between practice, “We trust that when inspiration hits, you will come up with something that will knock people’s socks off.” Cumulus would often shout support from behind her keyboards to break the tension of the room; it worked as it would send the group into a fit of well-needed laughter. Copia would muse on how lucky he is to have such a supportive crew.

Looking back at his desk, he eyed the papers strewn across his desk. Papers detailing accounts made him wince, especially when Terzo would go on a spending spree. Who needed $10,000 worth of clothes? He wasn't the main act anymore but kept the attitude of one. Copia had soon learned it was merely an act; "all bark and no bite" as Morrigan would say. It didn't make it any easier to tolerate his diva moments, however. 

Checking his watch under the dim incandescent bulb, it read 9:27 pm. He planned to spend another half hour at archiving official documents, then retire, but his gaze wandered off to his left again. His eyes landed on the feathered bird mask once more, feeling as though it was taunting him in the dark. He stood, making his way over to his room and flicking on the light. The room was surrounded in a warm red colour, courtesy of the wallpaper he had installed before his arrival; a distinct contrast in his mood. Picking up the mask, the protective sheets around it fell to the floor with a soft rustling sound. He held the mask up to the light, peering through the eye holes but not quite sure what he was expecting to see.

Walking over to the floor-length mirror between his bed and the balcony windows, he held the mask up to his face. It mostly covered his features, his jaw and neck being the only things exposed. He considered getting coloured contacts to disguise his white eye, but decided against it, feeling that covering his white eye was disrespectful to Lucifer; a gift given to him from birth. He turned the mask around once more, inspecting the black feathers as he wondered who he'd bring to the ball. It's of no doubt there are many beautiful siblings in the clergy he'd consider taking, but nobody had caught his eye yet. 

Turning to the balcony windows, he cast his eyes down to the courtyard. Some members of the clergy were milling about talking amongst themselves, a cluster of monks praying quietly underneath a few trees, then there she was. Morrigan. She was chatting with another sibling, nodding intently as she listened to her friend. Her demeanour was relaxed, a stark contrast to what she's like with Copia. It shouldn't rustle his feathers the way it has, but he can't help it. He often wondered if he made the atmosphere comfortable enough or if he came off too strong and was inadvertently scaring her off, but he was more curious as to why those questions swam around his head in the first place. 

Then he saw it. He could see Morrigan laugh at something her friend said; it was as though she flicked a switch and became someone new. Someone, Copia mused, he would like to get to know a bit better. Grunting, he stepped away from the window and threw the mask onto his bed. His sighs echoed around the room as he began taking off his pellegrina. Changing into black slacks and a loose-fitting black shirt rolled at the sleeves, he hung his vestments up in his wardrobe waiting to be worn the next day. He made his way back over to the balcony windows once more, only to find Morrigan had left. 

Copia decided it was best to leave his office and get some air; having been cooped up inside most of the day was starting to get to him. As he was locking his door, he turned to see Secondo walking down the hall towards him. "Cardinal," he greeted, waving him down. "Good evening, your excelle-" Secondo cut him off halfway, "Bah, please no formalities. Just call me Secondo, sì?" Copia nodded, a sympathetic smile on his face. "Thanks, Secondo." he breathed, running a hand through his hair in the hopes to wipe away his stresses. 

"You look like a man who could set the place ablaze if he had the tools at his disposal," Secondo quipped, taking in Copia's growingly distressed features. "Would you care to join me in the lounge?" he asked.

"You have a lounge? I never knew we had a lounge." Copia said, bewildered at this newfound mystery room.

"Of course, we have a lounge," Secondo said, taking in Copia's confused expression before it clicks in his head. "Ah, you're wondering why Morrigan never told you?"

"That would be one of the many things I'm wondering tonight, sì," Copia said, darkly.

Secondo opened the door to his private room, disappearing for a moment before coming out with a bottle of whiskey and two tumblers held between his fingers. He gave the tumblers to Copia as he locked his door behind him again.

"She didn't tell you because she could never figure out where it was," Secondo continued, walking down the hallway with Copia. "Poor piccolo would spend hours poring over the ministry’s plans trying to find it. I wouldn't take it personally that she hasn't told you yet."

"I didn't say I took it personally." Copia bit back, letting his tensions spillover. Despite Secondo having a stern reputation, frequently coming off as intimidating to the new initiates, he at least had the emotional capacity to realise when not to push someone's buttons.

Secondo led him down a series of hallways, rooms, and staircases causing Copia to completely forget which direction he was facing. He made a mental note to borrow a copy of the map of this place, especially since he was 5 minutes late to a meeting and got an earful from Nihil about responsibility and timekeeping. Secondo stopped at an empty hallway, only a few paintings and the moonlight shining through the gothic window in front of them. Secondo looked over Copia's shoulders making sure nobody else was around before taking Copia's hand and pressing it into a deftly hidden pressure plate in the wall, earning a muffled click as the hidden door depressed slightly. They quickly made their way inside.

Secondo ushered him in quickly, setting the hidden door back in its place before flicking the switch on the wall. A low but warm light filled the room, golden sconces on the walls sitting high above the cushiony L-shaped couches, and equally cushiony armchairs. On the right-hand side of the room sat an impressively stocked bar filled with various bottles of wine, whiskey, rum, and the odd jar of moonshine. Clean glasses sat atop the black marble countertop beneath the collection of alcohol, shining in the warm glow from the ambient lighting. A wide balcony window sat at the opposite end of the room, looking out onto the lake close to the complex; the moonlight dancing brilliantly against the lazy ripples in the water.

As Copia was taking in the room, Secondo had already planted himself in one of the armchairs, placing the whiskey bottle on the low black marbled table in front of him. "Impressive, sì?"

"It's beautiful," Copia mused, walking over to Secondo as he drank in the sights of the room. "How many people know about this?"

"A few of my siblings know of it, but not how to find it," Secondo replied, earning a confused look from Copia. "I blindfold them here."

A light flush bloomed across Copia's face as he sat down on the adjacent couch, "Ah, how... Romantic?" Copia asked, unsure of where to take this conversation as he placed the tumblers next to the whiskey bottle.

Secondo sat up, opening, and pouring the first round of whiskey before handing Copia his glass. "I suppose one _could_ see it as romantic, sì," Sitting back into his seat, Secondo took a sip from his glass as he continued, "But we are not here to talk about me, mio amico."

Copia sighed into the whiskey glass as he took a sip, swirling the glass in his hand as he sat back into the cushions. "It's nothing important, Secondo. Just daily activities of the church burning me out, sì? Sì, that's it." he said, his eyes avoiding him as he tried to avoid Secondo's interrogating stare.

"So, you believe Morrigan to be nothing important?" Secondo said, a knowing smile spreading across his features as Copia's face changed to one of a deer in headlights.

"I didn't mention Morrigan." Copia defended.

"You didn't have to," Secondo sighed. "Are things not going well between you two?"

"I think so? I'm at a loss, Secondo." Copia sighed exacerbated.

"Take it from the top, sì? Have you argued with her?" Secondo asked.

"No, niente."

"Have you been working her too hard?" Secondo continued.

"Affatto! Sometimes I feel I haven't given her enough work." Copia breathes, looking into his tumbler again before taking another sip.

Secondo chuckles, "Sì, that sounds like Morrigan alright," He looks over at Copia staring into his tumbler before asking another question. "Is it the ball?"

Copia sighs frustrated, sitting back into his seat as he looks out the window. "It's part of it, but not the entire thing."

"Then what is it exactly that's bothering you about her?" Secondo asked a stern lilt to his voice.

Copia sat quietly for a moment before answering. "She used to work under you, sì?" Secondo nodded. "Was she..."

"Closed off?" Secondo answered, a sympathetic smile across his face as Copia's lit up.

"Yes! I try to make light conversation with her but I’m met with extreme formality," Copia sighed, his arm dramatically flailing out beside him. “Sometimes it feels as though the thought of talking _with_ me is abhorrent.”

Secondo nodded in understanding as he swirled his glass, staring into it while he thought about his next few words. "When Morrigan first arrived here, she had the demeanour of a lamb being delivered to a slaughterhouse. Any noise that was a fraction too loud, she would jump out of her skin. She didn't trust anyone and had the anger of a caged animal. Imperator tried her hardest at the beginning in helping her adjust to the new environment, but lacked the emotional knowledge of when to give Morrigan time and space to adjust."

Copia listened quietly, curious of what Secondo was about to say but felt a growing sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. He asked how this was relevant, only to be met with Secondo’s hand silencing him.

"Imperator tried having my father help Morrigan, which only stressed her out more due to his dreadful face paint at the time. She then turned to me, asking me to help Morrigan's ever-persistent troubles that plagued her; and so, I did. Days and nights of me gently coaxing her out of her shell. It was a slow and arduous process, one I didn't come out unscathed," Secondo said as he lifted his sleeve to his elbow, showing Copia small but faint scars going up against his forearm.

He sighed before continuing, "I'm not telling you what she went through before arriving here as it is not my story to tell, sì?"

Copia nodded, about to speak before Secondo cut him off, "But should the moment come where Morrigan finds you trustworthy enough to keep her secrets, you had better make it your utmost priority to make sure she feels safe." He said, his white eye piercing Copia.

"Of course, Secondo." Copia stammered, feeling a little out of his depth.

Secondo was looking for something in Copia's eyes, and visibly relaxed when he found it. Looking into his glass, he took another sip of his whiskey, finishing it. Copia poured him another round.

"What Morrigan had suffered before arriving here has scarred her deeply, and despite 18 years having passed it still feels as though it was yesterday when she first came to our doorstep."

Copia felt awful. He had no idea about the hardships she had faced in the past; now he worried about whether he said or done something to hurt her feelings.

"Where Morrigan being closed off comes into play, what I will say is this," Secondo said, turning in his seat to face Copia full on. "A couple of years into living here, she had met another unfortunate chapter in her life and it almost sent her relapsing. Fortunately, she had me and her ghoul friends to help guide and support her, but ever since then she has put up more walls than I'd like,"

For the first time since this conversation started, Secondo looked worried. Copia noticed it before Secondo washed it down with another sip of whiskey, returning to his stoic self before continuing, "From seeing Morrigan at her lowest in the past, I can only assume that the reason she's acting closed off with you is that she's afraid of history repeating itself."

Copia felt his heart sink. "I wouldn't dream of hurting her."

"Good," he mumbled, looking off into the empty room. A few moments of comfortable silence passed, the pair mulling over what had just been discussed. Copia sat back into the couch, a million questions flying through his head.

"You care for her, even a blind man could see that," Secondo mused, continuing to gaze into the empty air surrounding them.

"Well, yes, she's my assistant and her safety are of my concern," Copia replied, absentmindedly twirling the empty tumbler in his hand.

Secondo broke out of his daze, their white eyes searching each other. "Hm," he breathed, sipping his whiskey, "I trust what was said in this room stays in this room."

"Of course."

"Good," Secondo sighs, discreetly, "So about the ball. I'm guessing you haven't invited anyone yet?"

"Not yet, sì. What about you?" Copia asked, hoping to get the heat off him for a moment.

"I have a few siblings waiting for me, yes," he replied, almost dismissively, "Ask her."

Copia was taken aback. "Scusi?"

"Don't make me repeat myself, Copia. Take Morrigan to the ball with you."

"I don't know if she'd want to go with me." Copia breathed, nervously scratching the back of his neck. Being under Secondo's intimidating gaze was getting to him.

"You'll never know if you don't try. Besides, if you knew what she was saying about you, you wouldn't be doubting yourself right now, sì?" Secondo confessed, lightly chuckling into his tumbler as Copia sat flustered.

"Ai, don't leave a man hanging! What does she say?" Copia asked, smiling.

"Ah ah, those words are best left to hear from the source, no?" Secondo teased, placing his tumbler down on the marble table below him.

"Lucifero sotto..." Copia dramatically sighed. A moment of silence passed between them before Copia broke the silence. "Secondo, I must thank you for taking me out of my head and enlightening me about Morrigan. I feel that at the peak of my earlier frustrations, I was seeing things that weren’t there."

"Any time, Copia. Tell no one of my compassion for you, I have a reputation to uphold." Secondo jokes, pulling a mock-serious expression causing them both to laugh.

The night carried on with the two of them discussing matters both serious and trivial, clearing an additional bottle of whiskey. Copia had grown closer with Secondo, not just because of what he learned about Morrigan, but that he learned Secondo was quite the party animal. The Hallows Eve ball was five days away, equally too much time and not enough. 

After spending another couple of hours in the lounge, Copia and Secondo decided it was time to retire to their rooms. Copia was struck with equal parts embarrassment and bewilderment as Secondo led him down one staircase, turning left and up another before realising they were back at their familiar west wing.

“You desperately need a map, amico. This place isn’t as big as we’re making it out to be.” Secondo chuckled, bidding him goodnight as he disappeared into the pitch-black maw of his bedroom.

It didn’t take long for Copia to get into bed; the comfort and darkness beckoning him in as he stripped down to his underwear. Tonight, he kept the curtains open, the stars twinkling in the night sky for his attention as he mulled over what Secondo confessed earlier. It created more questions than answers, but he wasn’t one to pry. As he was drifting off to sleep, he could feel a slight fluttering in his stomach as he thought about asking Morrigan to the Hallows Eve Ball. 

The next five days were going to drag painfully slow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, hi, hello!
> 
> Copia be feelin' some type of way!
> 
> I've struggled writing this chapter for so long as I had way too many ideas to put into it; it went down way too many paths at one point, completely overcomplicating the story so I spent countless hours re-writing it! 
> 
> To all of you reading this, let me extend a million thank yous for being on this little journey with me! I greatly appreciate every single one of you who reads, comments and likes this story. You inspire me to keep going <3


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